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W. E. SHARPLES.

BELT HOLE COVER.

Patented May 14,1889.

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. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lVIIiIiIAM E. SI'IARPLES, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- IIALF TO THE GEO. IV. STAFFORD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PROVI- DENCE, RIIODE ISLAND.

BELT-HOLE COVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,390, dated May 14, 1889.

Application filed November 17, 1888.

T all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, IVILLIAM E. SHARPLES, of Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Belt-Hole Covers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of mechanical devices used for covering belt-holes in the iioor through which driving-belts pass from one story of a building` to another above or below, the object being to close the opening as far as possible in the case of a belt moving laterally where an opening in the iioor much wider than the belt is necessary, and thus prevent dirt of any kind and water that may be thrown on the iioor from passing through to the iloor below. It also gives a more finished appearance to such openings than they otherwise would have. Then a belt is moved laterally as well as in a plane, as when tight and loose pulleys are used, it is arranged to automatically cover that portion of the opening not in use.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l shows a front elevation of the belt-hole cover. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same in position, as shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 shows a vertical longitudinal section taken through line ai, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end elevation taken from the right of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 shows a vertical crosssection of the sliding beltfguide b. Fig. 6 is the same as Fig. 5, with a bronze lining, g, added.

This belt-hole cover consists of a bed-plate, 4o A, having a bottom flange with holes to receive screws to fasten it to the ioor, and an inclined vertical iiange surrounding the space necessary to receive the belt and allow it all the motion required. The upper edge of the vertical iiange is extended over inside to form a lip, upon which rests the flanged Serial No. 291,171. (No model.)

edge of the belt-guide b, through which the belt a passes. The guide b also has a vertical lange extending down into the bedplate A. The opening in the belt-guide b is 5o made large enough to allow the belt a to pass freely through it. (See Fig. 2.) It is held down in place by the strips c c, one at each end, which extend under the lips of' the vertical ange on the'bed-plate A. The 55 guide Z) also has its back plate, e, extended up, the purpose of, which will hereinafter be explained.

d d are two covers hinged to the back vertical iiange of the bed-plate A at s s. Each 6o of the covers d or d is of sufficient size to cover that part of the opening in the bedplate A not occupied by the beltfguide b. The inner ends of the covers d d are cut away to form an obtuse angle with the back edge, and the ends of the belt-guide b are made on the same angle reversed, so that when either cover CZ is down its inner end will match the end of the belt-guide next to it and make a close joint. The object of cut- 7o ting away the inner ends of the covers d d', as above described, is to enable them to 'keep clear of the belt as they are opened or closed by the belt-guide b.

The upward extension c of the back of the belt-guide b is intended to raise the covers d or d as the guide is carried toward them by the movement of the belt from one end of the opening to the other. The ends of the portion e are cut away from the bottom to 8o the top at a suitable angle to pass under the inner ends of the covers d and gradually raise them, and in like manner to let them down to close the opening left by the movement of the belt-guide; and, to further improve my belt-hole cover by preventing the metallic hooks or other devices used to connect the ends of the belt together from throwing oft' sparks when they strike the belt-guide, and running the risk of their ig- 9o niting cotton-lint or other iniiammable substances, I construct the inside or lining g of the belt-guide b of bronze or some other metal that will not produce sparks when struck by metallic belt-connections.

Having thus described my improvements, what I claim as my invention is- A belt-hole cover consisting of a bedp1ate, A, having an opening provided with two Govers, d d ,hinged to said bed-plate, and a beltguide, b, arranged to slide in said opening,

provided with vertical flange e, toautomati- 1o cally raise one cover and lower the other cover' when moved in either direction, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

WM. E. SHARPLES.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. STAFFORD, BENJ. ARNOLD. 

